Pedicure instrument



- 9- 1.. c. RUCKER FED [CURE INSTRUMENT Filed Oct. 20,. 1947 4554/5 c. Rue/r55",

Patented Aug. 16, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PEDICURE INSTRUMENT Leslie 0. Rucker, Arlington, Va. Application October 20, 1947, Serial No. 780,926

2 Claims. 1 y

This invention relates to an instrument for use in the treatment of ingrown nails such as ingrown toenails or fingernails of humans.

Avery large number of people are troubled by ingrown nails, a conditionwhich is characterized by the growing of the edge of the nail into the adjacent flesh, frequently causing great discomfort and pain to those afilicted. Not infrequently the condition is so severe as to give rise to infection, requiring medical attention by a podiatrist. In severe cases it may be necessary to perform an operation to remove all or a portion of the nail.

In the average case the person afflicted resorts to self treatment but this is wholly unsatisfactory and frequently dangerous because of the lack of a suitable and safe instrument for removing the ingrown portion of the nail.

In accordance with the present invention an instrument for treatment of ingrown nails is provided which is of such construction as to perform its task safely and efliciently even when manipulated by an inexperienced person. It is a general object of the invention to provide such an instrument.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following description and claims when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of the end portion of the device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the complete device;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

The instrument is provided with a handle portion II! which may be of any convenient shape as will perimt it to :be securely grasped in the hand of the user. As shown, the handle is comprised of a fiat metal member rounded at one end and narrowed at the other end to form a neck portion II. This neck portion H is integral with and end or head portion l2 which is of special configuration and which embodies the essential features of the invention.

From the drawings it will be noted that the central part of the head portion 12 is substantially U-shaped in cross section. From Fig. 4 it will be seen that the inner surface of the head portion l2 has substantially straight parallel side walls l3 and HI joined by a rounded, substantially semi-circular wall IS. The side walls l3 and I4 and the wall l5 are provided with an abrasive or filing surface l6 of any suitable type.

2 The upper edges 11 and I8 of the end portion l2 of the instrument are well rounded andv their surfaces join smoothly with the outer wall of the end portion. It will be noted that while the inner side walls l3 and M are substantially straight and parallel, the surfaces forming the outer wall l9 are curved and well-rounded.

The end or head portion I2 is also especially shaped with a blunt well-rounded nose 20, the upper surface 2| of which slopes upwardly as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The only surfaces which are provided with,

or formed as abrasive or filing surfaces, are the inner walls l3, I4 and I5, and then only to the etxent shown in the drawings. It will be noted that abrasive surface is also provided for that portion of the upper surface of the neck I l which is contiguous with the wall I5.

The abrasive surfaces do not extend to the extreme end of the instrument, :but as shown in the drawing figures, they terminate short of the upper rounded edges I1 and I8 and of the sloping and rounded surfaces of the nose 20.

In accordance with an important feature of the invention, all surfaces of the head portion 1'2, except those which have been described as abrasive, are smooth and well rounded.

When the instrument is employed, for example, in treating an ingrown toenail condition, the handle I0 is grasped in the hand of the user and the :blunt ended nose 20 is placed at the upper side edge of the nail and is gently forced between the nail and the flesh with the edge of the nail between the U-shaped inner walls of the end portion so that the edge of the nail will contact the abrasive-surfaced curved wall IS. The instrument is then moved back and forth along the side edge of the nail. At first this movement should be gentle but firm so as to separate the edge of the nail from the flesh into which it has grown. Continued movement in this manner gradually results in filing away the inner edge of the nail and providing it with a smooth rounded edge surface which will not cut into the flesh.

It will be observed that the special shape of the nose 2n and the special thicknesses of the walls of the end portion l2 are such as to effect a gentle but positive separation of the edge of the nail from the flesh. All of the surfaces of the instrument which can in any manner contact the flesh are rounded and smooth.

Now that the principal features of the instrument have been described, it should be apparent that the end portion l 2 need not be made integral with the handle l0. The latter may take various shapes and may be made of various materials. It may also be connected by known means to an end portion 12 of the type shown. It is, however, preferable in all instances. that the head portion I2 and neck H be integral.

While the head portion 12 is preferably formed of sheet metal, it may be formed of other materials such as plastics or the like, and the abrasive surfaces mayy'besa formed in the material: itself, or aflixed thereto.

Where the instrument is made integral it may. be formed from a single piece of sheet material? In this event it should be kept in mindithat the walls of the end portion are thicker than the neck and handle.

Consequently that portion of the blank from which said or headwportion provided with rounded edges, said head portion having a longitudinal groove of substantially U-shaped section with substantially parallel side walls and of a width such as to receive the edge of a toenail, said groove extending from the nose a suflicient distance to guide the head portion in gently separating the flesh from the side edge of the nail, said groove being provided with an abrasive surface.

2;; The combination of'claim. 1, said nose hava lesser cross sectional area through the main part of the head portion and the surfaces of said nose sloping smoothly to meet those of the-main-part of the head portion.

LESLIE C. RUCKER.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date- Troya' Mar; 4; 1941 Number" 

